Conan in his opening skit
Episode Format
Conan follows the established six-piece format used during O'Brien's tenure as host of The Tonight Show and Late Night, as well as numerous other talk shows across various networks. Each episode of Conan is 60 minutes in length, including commercials,and typically features two celebrity interviews and a following musical performance or stand-up comedy act.Guests come from a wide range of cultural sources, and include actors, musicians, authors, athletes and political figures. Taping of each episode begins at 4:30 p.m. PST, which usually follows a rehearsal, lasting from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.
Opening Titles
The episode opens with the show's opening title sequence, introducing O'Brien, Richter, and The Basic Cable Band, as well as that night's guests. Each episode of Conan has a title, unlike most late-night talk shows, which Richter announces at the end of the opening sequence. The humorous titles are in the style of old fashioned murder-mystery radio shows, television sitcoms, or other scripted series.
Monologue
O'Brien opens each episode with a monologue drawing from current news stories and issues. The monologue is sometimes accompanied by clips and brief comedy skits, in addition to occasional interactions between O'Brien and Richter, and the audience.